This Position is located at the Portsmouth Community Based Outreach Clinic. The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Social Work Case Manager works primarily in an outpatient general mental health setting. The incumbent provides psychosocial and case management services at an advanced level to Veterans with psychosocial, psychiatric, and/or substance abuse problems enrolled in BHIP care. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level (For GS 11). Grade Determinations:GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Assignment. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. GS-11 Experience and Licensure: A minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. Assignment. Are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. ["Clinical Responsibilities Provides case management to a widely diverse population of Veterans, many with complex needs, including those who are dually diagnosed. Is expected to manage a caseload of Veterans and partner with the BHIP and Mental Health Teams in the CBOCs to facilitate the Veteran's engagement in treatment. Independently assesses the needs, strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and abilities of Veterans served and utilizes this assessment to facilitate the Veteran's maximum engagement with treatment to attain the highest level of functioning and independence possible. Provides resources to Veteran, offers psychosocial interventions, facilitates treatment planning and goal setting, and monitors progress. Serves as a liaison and consultant for Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, VA specialty programs, and advanced directives. Provides consultation to BHIP team members, staff from other programs, and community resources to provide coordination of care and facilitate recovery oriented mental health care to meet the psychosocial needs of the Veteran and/or their families. Establishes a continuing relationship with veterans, evaluating progress towards goals, performing follow-up after referral or if the Veteran misses a counseling session, and adjusts treatment plan if results are inadequate. Will provide services for high risk patients; provide referrals to appropriate agency(s) and serves as case manager. Will also provide outreach, extending case management services throughout the Hampton VAMC catchment area. Conducts psycho-educational groups to increase veteran understanding of mental health recovery, BHIP model, and treatment options; additionally, conducts psychosocial treatment groups to CBOC MH/BHIP Veterans. Uses social work clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data to identify treatment options. Incorporates data and information from the medical record in Case Management Assessments, treatment plans, and progress review. Must be able to practice trauma-informed mental health care, with appreciation for and awareness of the impact of trauma on an individual's mental health and interpersonal relationships. Has the ability to serve Veterans who tend to have serious frequent and severe crises, lack family or adequate community support network, display poor self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, and have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. Must possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic trauma and PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety and adjustment disorders, personality disorders, psychotic spectrum disorders, etc. as well as common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Must be able to recognize and understand mental disorders and be able to provide comprehensive case management services for Veterans with mental disorders through a variety of approaches and techniques. Active member of the BHIP team who contributes to program development, consultation, and treatment planning within an interdisciplinary treatment team. Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans served by the BHIP Team and CBOCs. Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Administrative Responsibilities Responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility. Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the BHIP assignment and consistent with Social Work standards, Joint Commission standards, and facility standards. Assists the Program Manager and the BHIP Team Lead in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for Veterans served in the team. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening, treatment planning, documentation, and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). These duties at the GS 9 level will essentially be the same but, with close supervision. Other related duties may be assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Ad Hoc, As determined by the agency Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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